Alexander Biddle was a member of the prominent Philadelphia Biddle family and was married to Julia Williams Rush, the granddaughter of Dr. Benjamin Rush. Biddle served with the 121st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, beginning in September 1862. Starting out as a major, he would participate at Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, among other engagements, and would leave the service as a lieutenant colonel. (He was commissioned, but never mustered, as colonel)
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Camp Near White Oak Church
Christmas Day. 1862
Dear Julia
I have your letter of 20th inst. and have your sweet Rainy day in Camp. It is very pretty and every line of it almost has a response in feeling surging with the changeful hours of a soldier’s life. Yesterday we sent 150 men out on picket duty – I was on court martial we disposed of one case and adjourned until tomorrow Today I rode over about 3 miles to a new landing on the indentation which runs into Belle Plains called here General Franklin’s new landing and went on board of a sutler’s boat but found him almost all sold out – the Lieut Col and I got some maple syrup chocolate and butter for the mess and transported it to camp – We don’t look much to seeing our sutler we think he don’t want to come, we don’t see why he can’t run a boat to the landing and give us notice – We hear that Chapman’s trunk is at Acquia and have sent for it – I fear the box of the sanitary commission will not get farther than Washington or at most than Acquia – Lewis might send it but unless there is someone to send it forward at every depot it stands but little chance. The best way to send me anything will be by Hulse – Zell – Lloyd – if they come back well – but don’t let it be large. Hulse you may trespass on most – A man named Daniel Holland I told to call on you who is going to return in 2nd January an officer’s servant – you may send a small pckge by him. Dear Wife I can say to you that you cant conceive how grateful I feel to our Heavenly Father for his merciful preservation of me on the 13th inst. Read the Herald of Tuesday the 23rd You will there find extracts from the Richmond paper and what they think of the attack on their right made by our left.
– Christmas Night –
Dear Julia I closed my letter just as our ambulance (which was sent to Acquia Creek yesterday morning) returned to our quarters this evening at dark. We have since been like a parcel of Christmas schoolboy children rejoicing over the good things from home. Your bag was very welcome it has quite set me up in all I wanted, I now have chocolate in plenty and feel like taking the field again despite weather and short rations. We have much to learn yet and much to endure – entre nous the Colonel has been quite ailing for two or three weeks past – but I think careful attention on the part of his officers particularly the surgeon has helped him thoroughly. I do not think him strong – Atwood too I think is falling behind and I should not be surprised if he found his health too infirm for his position – but the first is a case of real physical trial and I have no idea how Chapman will not persist to the uttermost extent of his ability in doing all he has pledged himself to do – the latter case I think partially disinclination for the trials of this life attended with some ordinary camp ailments and the disheartening feeling that a protraction of the war of an uncertain character is before us all these things I feel as much as anyone and so do all the officers (nor do I individually consider myself under any personal obligation to the men of the Regiment as almost all the other officers excepting Atwood, Hall and the Surgeons all) but I don’t think just at this moment that I ought to think of going home. As I write I hear a distant cannon shot and have heard from day to day occasional shots – all of which goes to show that we have not made our arrangements for a quiet winter yet – I trust God will bless our cause with success and so rule our hearts and minds that no injustice will govern us in our treatment of our foes – but that success will always be tempered with extreme mercy…
Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 25 December 1862. Rush:IV:30:26
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thank you!!…